Oklahoma Quarters

Ok, this was too funny not to share. It's from Kate Moore's blog.

Screwtape takes on the Blogosphere

Well, it's been awhile since I've posted anything, but I think that everyone who reads this knows that I've just started a new job that keeps me busier than the last and I don't have as much time to enjoy the internet (so I haven't run across as many editorials as usual). However, in my short downtime this afternoon, I did run across this very interesting site. Knowing my fondness for C.S. Lewis, no one will be surprised that I decided to link to it. Screwtape Letters is my favorite of his books (so far at least), so when I ran across Screwtape's First Letter on the Blogosphere, I had to let everyone else read it! Here's the excerpt that I found first, just to whet your appetite in case you don't have time to read the entire thing at the moment (the excerpt below is from Evangelical Outpost):
"Screwtape Returns -- Aaron from two or three found a new "letter" in which Screwtape instructs Wormwood on how to deal with his subject now that he has started a blog:

'It seems your charge has started what the human vermin call a "blog." This presents new issues that you can use to bring him down, but you must be careful because like with anything the danger is always there that he will use it to glorify the Enemy.
We can eliminate the danger from many of these "bloggers" from the beginning by focusing them on anything but their faith. Lead him to start a political site, a humor site, a blog about his cat, anything but a site that presents the Enemy's plan. We must keep them on either end of the extreme. The easiest way is to simply keep him away from speaking about Him.'

Aaron says, "if you are going to copy someone, copy a genius." Personally, I think C.S. Lewis would be flattered by such a worthy homage."

And, while this is linked in that post, I thought I'd include a link to another 'Screwtape Letter' floating out there in cyberspace.

On a personal note, here's the only thing I don't like about C.S. Lewis: have you ever prepared yourself to write something and then discovered someone has already written it and done a much better job than you could do yourself? That's how I feel every time I read something by Lewis. That's writer's jealousy for you (forget writer's block - this is a bigger problem!)!

And now for something completely different...

First, as to the title of the post - I really like Monty Python.
Ok, the months, no, weeks, no, days (no, maybe no one's been waiting for it) of waiting for my promise of some original poetry to come to fruition are over! I can feel the excitement out there. I have decided to allow the world to read a couple of my poems. Usually, I wouldn't do this, but I did promise (sorta) and I feel like it.
The first I wrote a few months ago, when I was thinking about 'the only thing to fear is fear itself' and I was wondering if I believed that statement. Out of those musings came this (I've been working with rhyme, and I'm not really sure that it works all that well for me):

Fear

The only thing to fear is fear itself
Someone once famous said
You live your life fearing other things
You live as though you’re dead

It’s meant to fill us with courage
With solidarity and love
To give us strength when orders come
From way up above

But what about the darkness,
Spiders, heights, and snakes
What about those courage abandons,
Us it forsakes?

Is it okay to be afraid,
To live in doubt and dread
Not if you have My voice inside
Your heart and inside your head

Fear not, for I am with you
Your courage I will be
Your Rock, and your Fortress
If you’ll come sit with me

Set your mind on things above
Things you cannot fear
Set your heart on what’s in store
Lest things of earth grow too dear

These things rot and turn to dust
And soon shall pass away
And some the thieves can come and take
From you even today

Ok, the second poem developed out of some rambling thoughts I had after someone mentioned that every time we sin we drive the nails deeper into Christ's hands (I'd give credit where it's due for that comment, but I really can't remember, sorry). I was playing with repetition at the time (I like playing with various poetry techniques).

In a perfect world…

Here there should be no shame
But every time I fall I feel the stares
Of a thousand little gloating demons
Waiting, just waiting until I fall no longer to rise again
Waiting until I finally give up
Waiting until I scream: why hast thou forsaken me

Here there should be no guilt
But every time I fail I feel the stabs
Of a thousand little pitchforks
Poking me
Prodding me to give up, to give in
Prodding me to forget why I should care
Prodding me to scream: why hast thou forsaken me

Here there should be no sin
But every time I see temptation I bite into the apple again
And hear a thousand little voices in my head
Murmuring to me
Whispering that no one will ever know
Whispering that it won’t hurt anyone, anything
Whispering that thou hast forsaken me

Here there should be no pain
But every time I fail I see Your Son
A thousand drops of blood fall as He hangs
Drowning my justifications
Suffocating my selfishness
Suffocating my scream as I hear Him
whisper: why hast thou forsaken me

Ok, I'll consider posting more poetry at some point in the future, we'll see. Now I'm going to go take a test, wish me luck!

Poetry for the day

I found some poetry that I thought was pretty good, so I decided to post it.

"The Cowboy" by Julie Redick pays tribute to President Bush:

They call him a cowboy, as they attempt to hide
From all their own failures, for they let the threat ride.
Terrorism building, zeroing in from all sides.
Selling out the country for political pride.
For eight years they played with our country's life.
"Leave all to the cowboy, he'll buckle under the strife."
Now they seem to have forgotten that autumn day
When their failures came to life in a horrific way.
Tearfully but firmly, the "cowboy" began to sing
Hymns for 3,000 souls that had suddenly taken wing.

There is more they've forgotten in their attempt to deride:
Those "cowboys" before him that we once hailed with pride.
Those men who risked everything for good over bad.
Founding Fathers and others--the best that we had.
Sons, brothers, fathers and husbands went forth
Taking up arms to bravely ensure democracy's worth.
Risking everything they had for liberty & freedom
For the cowards of today the right to spout all their venom.

So, they call him a "cowboy," and thank God he is.
He rides strong, firm and high in that saddle of his.
Most of us will never forget his words of that day
That are etched in our memory as he had his say.
"We will not forget, falter or fail."
Thus our fight for freedom will never pale.C
all him what you will--Our Constitution you enjoy.
Just remember all our heroes have once been cowboys;
Cowboys who shed blood to keep everyone free.
Starting with a call for Independence by decree.
Never backing down from all the Hitlers among men
Who would seek to undermine what we have always been.

Freedom and liberty started with the dreams of a few
Who then passed it down as a precious gift to you.
If you have the courage to defend all you enjoy.
Then set your course remembering
all our heroes have been "cowboys."

This one I jut thought was funny (luckily it includes the context!).
On a lighter note, in December 2001 anti-American polemicist Robert Fisk of London's Independent got mugged by a gang of Afghans at a refugee camp in Pakistan. Although his attackers obviously were after his property--he acknowledges that they repeatedly "grabbed my bag"--he wrote a column insisting that they actually were politically motivated and that they, like him, hated America. That prompted this limerick by Tom Spaulding:

There once was a writer named Fisk
Who opined at "great personal risk"
Till a teed off Afghani
With the strength of my granny
Kicked his "what used to be kissed"

And just one line from the last poem on the page, probably my favorite line out of all the poems: "It's better fought and lost than never fought."

If you want some more fun and thought provoking poetry, check out the website: A Day of Poetry for the War

Hope in Africa

Ask me for the hope for Africa, and I won't show you the G8 conference or the Live8 concert. Instead, I'll point you to this article which explains from whence the hope for Africa comes. While both the G8 conference and Live8 concert are good things, there is only One True Hope for such destitution.

Grammar Sense

Ok, I found this article this morning, and being a fan of correct grammar, thought I'd pass it along. It even includes two of my favorite goofs: irregardless and I could care less

This, on the other hand, is an awful idea. If this proposal is half as bad as it sounds, we're in trouble if it passes!

Unwholesome Talk

"Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people" - Eleanor Roosevelt.

I've never thought much about gossip. Oh, there are the little catty things people (especially girls) say behind other people's backs that usually get back to the person they've been said about and cause huge rifts in seemingly stable friendships; but, lately, my definition of gossip has been expanding. I was involved in a conversation today where the two other people talking were discussing people I didn't know, had never met, and would likely never meet in ways that were not flattering. However, much to my chagrin, I found myself not only listening, but, at one point, actively participating, sharing my own story. Just because it is true does not exclude it from the sphere of gossip. Just because what I said was true does not whitewash the fact that I said it in a fairly meanspirited sense. And, just because the people I was talking to didn't know the persons I was talking about does not clear me from the taint of shame for saying it. I think I am a little too cavalier about what I say. James put it this way: "the tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell." (James 3:6) That's a pretty stinging indictment. When you put it that way, maybe I really should 'hold my tongue' more often, as my mother used to say. Although, I'd like to tweak the old saying, "if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all," a little. Because sometimes what you need to say or what someone needs to hear is not exactly nice, as I tend to think of the word. Telling someone they've done a subpar job is not nice, but they need to hear it so they can do a better job next time. Maybe the saying should be something more along the lines of: "if you can't say something with a spirit of love, don't say anything at all." That should take care of church discipline and the little things we have to say. Of course, I think that once again the Bible has beaten me to that punch. "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it might benefit those who listen." Ephesians 4:29. This is a verse I happen to struggle with, not because I don't believe it is true - it seems rather like a command to me and makes perfect sense. Rather, I have a tendency to read the part about 'building others up' as 'making others happy.' Biblical rebuke aside, telling people what they want to hear without becoming sanctimoniously self-righteous can be very difficult. It is a constant battle with pride to know you are right about something, yet avoid telling someone in a way that, not only are they going to be offended, but I am also going to be 'puffed up' as it were with the knowledge that I am right about what I am talking about.

Humans are interesting creatures - full of contradictions; but Christians are supposed to be new creations. It is really unfortunate that the old self continues to war against the new self. Ok, this whole thing started with gossip, so let me circle back around to that. My point, I guess, was that I have almost subconsciously slipped into an attitude of not caring about my words. I used to have this idea that when a person was judged by God, all the words that person had ever said would be spread out across the sky. I really don't know where I got that idea or whether I have completely abandoned it even, but it used to really scare me. The thought of all the words I have ever said here on this earth spread across the sky actually does still give me the creeps. It also makes me want them to be the right words, words I put some thought behind instead of just the trivial, chatty talk that comes out of my mouth so often. Okay, well, I'll wrap it up and leave it there, not because that's all I would have to say on the topic, but because I've bored everyone who is reading this to tears by this point :). Hope everyone is having a great Tuesday!
"Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving." Ephesians 5:4

Hope Springs Eternal

There is hope in our fight to free the East. This is a pretty inspiring story about Afghanistan's progress, even though the end is arguably not yet in sight.

From The Best of the Web Today (Friday's article - so, I guess, the Best of the Web Friday!):
"One liberal who makes sense, though, is Slate's William Saletan:
Bin Laden's whole game plan is to turn the people of the democratic world against their governments. He thinks democracies are weak because their people, who are more easily frightened than their governments, can bring those governments down. He doesn't understand that this flexibility--and this trust--are why democracies will live, while he will die. Many of us didn't vote for Bush's government or Blair's. But we're loyal to them, in part because we were given a voice in choosing them. And if we don't like our governments, we can vote them out. We can't vote out terrorists. We can only kill them."
I like this as well, from the same source:
"[M]ake predictions that can't possibly be wrong. With that in mind, we're going to go out on a limb and predict that Chief Justice Rehnquist will retire at some point, unless he dies first."

Just a few thoughts to keep everyone busy today

Tragedy in London

Tragedy struck London today as 4 bombs went off in various parts of the city. Unfortunately, the incident has a more widespread impact than just on the people of London. It is important for all people of free nations. Undoubtedly, the attack will instigate a cry to withdraw from Iraq and Afghanistan from the people of Britian and the US, just like the bomb in Madrid. The argument is that the only reason the terrorists (I will not call them insurgents, call a chair a chair) are striking out is that we have invaded Iraq and Afghanistan when those nations have merely been minding their own business and living peacefully with their neighbors. Interesting argument that holds no water. Hopefully we will not bow to the wishes of people who believe that force is the only way to convince anyone that their point of view is correct. These people are murderers.

Adult ADHD

I have come to the conclusion that all of us have ADHD - it's not just the children, it's humanity in general. My point has less to do with the hyperactivity than the attention deficit. And it's been around for a really long time. "Israel served the LORD throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had experienced everything the LORD had done for Israel." Joshua 24:31. I read this interesting sentence this morning and it jumpstarted some neurons in my brain. First, knowing the history of Israel and how the nation kept shifting back and forth, now following, now not following, I think it is interesting that the writer puts this sentence in the passage. The sentence implies that as soon as these elders were in the ground, Israel turned her back on the Lord (now, this may or may not be true, I am merely commenting on what it seems to indicate to me). Second, and probably more importantly, is the importance of experience in the passage. The sentence does not merely describe the elders as those who outlived Joshua, but describes them as those who had experienced everything the LORD had done for Israel. Now, that is an interesting designation. It indicates to me that people have always had this need for experiential knowledge and if we can't see it, taste it, touch it, or hear it, it isn't worth our time. I am not denigrating the experiential aspect of our lives, but there is such a thing as faith. When we find ourselves constantly asking for a bigger and better sign, we find it increasingly difficult to believe the signs we have been given already. Reminds me of Luke 16:31 - "If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead." I think it is great that the Bible constantly reminds us of the fact that God has done all these things (not the only reason, but a very good reason to keep reading the Old Testament even though we live under the covenant of the New) - we have a very short memory and seemingly an even shorter attention span. I used to think that the shorter attention spans were a product of the modern age, with its constantly shifting television and increasingly shorter political soundbites (and I'm not entirely convinced I'm wrong), but maybe I have it backwards. Maybe the increasingly shorter soundbites, etc. are a result of the fact that we have always had a fairly short attention span. Then again, maybe it is a vicious cycle with the cause being the result and vice versa. Who knows? The point is, life goes on, and without someone constantly reminding us of where we have come from and what has happened, we are doomed to forget, if not repeat history. The problem with forgetting history is that we forget the reasons it happened or the consequences of our actions in the past. The child who forgets that the last time he touched the stove he got burned is relegated to touching the stove over and over again, each time with painful consequences. That, if you ask me, is one of the real dangers of comparing Guantanamo to a gulag - we have forgotten what the gulag is, what it stands for, and what happened there, and we have relegated ourselves to relearning the lesson taught in the USSR death camps. That, and the more pressing concern (at least for how this post started!), once we forget what God has done in the past, we are tempted to say that He has never done anything and that we should never expect anything from Him, and that conclusion essentially leads to turning our backs on Him while paying lip service to His existence.

Call to Arms!

The title of this post may very well throw some people off - this has nothing to do with war (at least not in the WWII, Cold War, etc. sense). Rather, I call upon all those who care (and everyone should care) about the composition of the High Court to call or email their Senators and request fervently that those in the Senate press President Bush to nominate (and press the Senators on both sides of the aisle) a Supreme Court justice who can return some sense to constitutional law. A true originalist is what we need on the Court. As much as I abhor the need to use what was not-so-lovingly referred to last term as the 'nuclear option,' I think we may soon rue the fact that the conservatives bowed to the calls of the liberals in the Senate to not 'desecrate a historical tradition'. How's this for history? Advise and consent! Those who care should 'ready themselves for war' as Charles Schumer has apparently called it. I don't like it any more than the next person, and this could get heated and ridiculous, but it just may be a fight worthy of the name and effort. It is time to stand up for what the Constitution is, the supreme law of the land - not to be changed by the changing standards of the world, as some would have it, but to stand firm because a shifting law prevents a concrete standard of conduct - for both the government and the people committed to obeying it. Okay, that's enough of my rant about the Court for today :). Hope everyone is having a wonderful Wednesday!

Tolerance and Diversity in Arkansas

Tolerance - n. - The capacity for or the practice of recognizing and respecting the beliefs or practices of others.
Diversity - n. - variety
Group says university stadium not suitable for Promise Keepers
No, no, no - this cannot be true! A group exclusively in favor of one religion over another? Say it isn't so! The reason the university stadium cannot be used for this speech? The group is intolerant of other religions. Okay, so tolerance must mean that I have to accept every view from every other person in the world. Well, that's an interesting definition. I also like the definition of diversity in the article - we should include everything except that which seems to deny diversity. What? Isn't diversity everything? I don't have to agree with you, but isn't it in the best interest of diversity to allow us both to speak? The best, though, is the last paragraph: "Tarvin, Bennett and Dietzel said their purpose is twofold. They want the university to bar Promise Keepers from the campus and they want to educate men who are going to these events so they have the opportunity to think beyond Promise Keepers’ rhetoric, to what they called the propaganda behind it." Who is seeking converts now?

The next article, I read with a sense of disbelief. Vanity plate illegal endorsement of religion? At least she got to keep it, though!

You know what? Just take a look at this site!

Happy 4th!

Eminent Domain

Justice O'Connor!

Well - not the resignation we expected to hear, but Sandra Day O'Connor has announced today that her time on the Supreme Court has come to an end. Now the endless guessing about whom will be the next appointee (and whether the Dems will block him or her) can begin! (oh wait, it's already begun!) Congratulations Justice O'Connor (the first woman appointed) on a long and notable residence on the High Court. Thank you for your dissenting opinions in the landmark case Kelo v. City of New London. Not so much thanks for being a swing vote and coming up with your own Establishment Clause test (actually her proudest accomplishment - a source of endless frustration for anyone attempting to make an Establishment Clause case and law students) or your stands on abortion.

Tort reform, infanticide, and divorce rates - what a morning

No one really thinks that the tort system should not be reformed, except the trial lawyers and the plaintiffs in these cases. This is one you have to read to believe.

I found this interesting editorial on Peter Singer. Just in case you don't know, Peter Singer is an atheistic Princeton ethics professor who encourages infanticide and some other despicable practices. Interesting how intellectualism can lead to at least two different results: atheism, as in Singer's case; or Christianity, as in our good friend C.S. Lewis' case. It is, as the author of this editorial suggests, very difficult for the smart to admit that Someone might be smarter! Perhaps that is why pride appears to be the worst sin. Pride leads to the denial of that Someone who, in all aspects, is infinitely better, infinitely smarter, infinitely greater.

This, in my opinion, is a really good idea: one that hopefully will help reduce the divorce rate in this country where something like 50% (can you imagine a worse statistic?) of marriages end in divorce (whatever happened to the vow: till death do us part?). The editorial delivers a stinging rebuke to churches, many of which have done nothing to combat the growing view of the 'throwaway' marriage. I guess no one can tell yet if these sorts of programs will have an effect, but at least someone is doing something about the problem!

Ok, class, that's your reading assignment for the morning (aren't you glad I didn't assign the 130 pages of Supreme Court 10 Commandments opinions I have to read for class? ;)).